Thoughts From the Radio

Today as I drove in my work van, I was listening to the local Christian radio station. The program that came on was by Moody Bible Institute and the speaker held some post there. Here is my regurgitation of two of his main points, which I found fascinating to ponder.

First, baptism is the symbolic act in which denotes one’s becoming united with a Trinitarian God. When Jesus the Son was baptized, the Spirit descended as a dove and the Father spoke from above. All three were present signifying an affirmation of a trinitarian relationship. In baptism, we become united with this God as well.

Second, the most frequently emphasized phrase in the Great Commission is “Go ye into all the world”. But if we look at the verse more closely, we will see that the key phrase is “make disciples”. The verse then goes on to tell us how to do this. We must, of course, go to get to where they are. We are then to baptized them (signifying a unification of them to God) and to teach them to do right. The Great Commission and the work of Christians on earth is to be focused on making disciples.

Against Such There Is No Law

On October 18 or 19 the Pennsylvania Senate adopted Resolution 373 commemorating the Amish and volunteers who were involved in the tragedy at West Nickel Mines Amish School and the Amish community in general. The resolution specifically thanks the Amish for their demonstration of mercy and forgiveness combined with a lifestyle of nonretaliation.

I find this remarkable. Here is an official government organization, announcing its admiration and appreciation for the loving and forgiving attitudes and actions of a group of people. If Christians are to influence government in no other way, demonstrating forgiveness and a nonresistant lifestyle is one way that is certainly supported by Christ. I am also reminded of the fruit of the Spirit and Paul’s statement that “. . . .against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23). Not only is it not against the law, it is often recognized, sometimes even by the government, as being very good.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

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SENATE RESOLUTION

No. 373 Session of 2006

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        INTRODUCED BY ARMSTRONG, BOSCOLA, BRIGHTBILL, BROWNE, CONTI,
           CORMAN, COSTA, DINNIMAN, EARLL, ERICKSON, FERLO, FONTANA,
           FUMO, GORDNER, GREENLEAF, HUGHES, JUBELIRER, KASUNIC,
           KITCHEN, LAVALLE, LEMMOND, LOGAN, MADIGAN, MELLOW, MUSTO,
           O'PAKE, ORIE, PICCOLA, PILEGGI, PIPPY, PUNT, RAFFERTY,
           REGOLA, RHOADES, ROBBINS, SCARNATI, STACK, STOUT,
           TARTAGLIONE, TOMLINSON, VANCE, WASHINGTON, WAUGH, WENGER,
           D. WHITE, M. WHITE, A. WILLIAMS, C. WILLIAMS, WONDERLING AND
           WOZNIAK, OCTOBER 18, 2006

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        INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, OCTOBER 18, 2006

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                                  A RESOLUTION

     1  Honoring the lives and extending condolences to the West Nickel
     2     Mines Amish School shooting victims, their families and the
     3     entire Amish community.

     4     WHEREAS, The shooting at West Nickel Mines Amish School on
     5  October 2, 2006, has devastated the Amish community and the
     6  entire nation with its senseless violence; and
     7     WHEREAS, The loss of innocent lives and the unfathomable
     8  impact of this attack on those who mercifully survived has left
     9  our nation deeply saddened and grieving; and
    10     WHEREAS, The recent incidents of school violence have further
    11  shaken communities throughout the country; and
    12     WHEREAS, Law enforcement, emergency services and medical
    13  professionals have gone above and beyond the call to aid victims
    14  and their families; and
    15     WHEREAS, The Amish community has responded to this horrific

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     1  incident with unparalleled mercy and forgiveness that has
     2  deepened our profound admiration for the manner in which the
     3  Amish conduct their lives; therefore be it
     4     RESOLVED, That the Senate offer deepest condolences to the
     5  West Nickel Mines Amish School shooting victims, their families
     6  and the entire Amish community and extend heartfelt thanks to
     7  all who responded to the terrible tragedy.

Worship….

I used to think that worship was getting into some specific emotional frame of mind in which I mentally lifted my hands and imagined Jesus as a great and mighty King sitting on a throne. Now, worship may be accompanied by an emotional frame of mind, lifting up of hands, and imagination, but that is not its essence. Neither is worship something that just happens to us or that we can simply conjure up with special music.

Worship, as discussed here, is a verb. It is an action. Webster’s says, “1. To honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power
2. to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion.” It gives as a synonym the word “revere”.

When we honor or reverence someone, we put them ahead of us. Gentlemen are to honor ladies by letting them go through the door first. We honor by going behind. In New Testament, Paulian lingo, we describe it as dying to ourselves.

Worship is the act of dying to ourself. It is giving Christ honor and reverence ahead of us.

This was very freeing for me. Instead of worrying if I was going to get this emotion of worship and trying to work myself into a worshipful mood, I am now able to relax. Worship is not something that happens. It is not out there floating and some days I breath it and some I don’t. Worship is a constant action of my dying to myself and living to Christ. In a specific worship time, I don’t have to try to get a mood. I use it as a time to again declare my death and Christ’s resurrection my heart. I can sing the songs and pray the prayers as a verbal indication of my choice. If I do not feel an emotional surge, that is fine. I have made a choice of free will to surrender my will to Christ and this, this is worship.

Questions About Government

How should Christians feel about government? Should we be willing to express opinions on which type is best? Is one kind superior to the others according to God? Does the fact that God established monarchy mean anything or was that only because the people demanded it? Does democracy fit better with Scriptural teachings better than other forms? Is political and moral freedom a right that Scripture supports as being undeniable? What does God want us to believe about justice and its maintenance by the government? Should we feel differently about the person killing in a crime and the person killing a criminal? (If one takes a very literal view of Scripture, someone killing as a government agent of justice or someone killing as a soldier or someone killing in a crime all face the same consequences of taking a life when killing is bad.) How should the Christian support the governments role to “execute wrath upon him that doeth evil” (Rom. 13:4) and still be against killing, coercion of people, and the weapons of this world?

This is a list of questions off the top of my head. I am beginning to study the subject of the Church’s prophetic ministry to the government and society. These questions are related and questions similar to this have been bouncing around in my head for a while. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

World in Focus

For those of us here in Lancaster, and even for Amish in other states, the shootings at the southern Lancaster Amish school have rattled our consciousness. It was a terrible tragedy that promises continued nightmares for children and continued pain for those who have lost. It is not good and it should not have happened. But, today in Sunday school, an older man for whom I have great respect made a comment. He said, (this is from memory and somewhat paraphrased) “This is not to say that what happened was a terrible thing. It was. But as Christians we need to remember what is happening in Africa and other places around the world. In North Korea hundreds of children have recently starved to death. In Africa untold numbers die every day because of starvation. These shootings are terrible tragedies, but we must remember that these tragedies are happening a hundred or a thousand fold every day. Many children are starving and dying daily.” And, I add, doing so without ever having heard the name of Jesus. Many are suffering from an entire life without proper nutrition. They have lived through war, genocide, drought, and parental death. There are tragedies happening every day that we as Americans with grocery stores and full fridges and the coming holiday feasts and chocolate and a car with a CD player often forget.

The Moth

Pressed tightly against the screen,

Its body straining to reach the light,

That disguised death

Less than a grave’s length away.

My Head is a Spinning Top

Since my return from peer reviewing papers for the Mennofesto project in VA this weekend, I have had many things spinning through my head. I sort of feel like I could use a week off of work to get caught up on a lot of things and then another week for solitude and rest. So many things to do, so many incredible events to attend, and so many things to think about. How to choose between them and how to know what to eliminate? My head is full of wedding plans and work and Amish shootings and Dallas Willard and things to write and ideas to capture and unpleasant odd jobs and things to read and car insurance and …………………………………….

A friend quoted to me a statement from Dallas Willard that was something to the effect of: “A saint guzzles grace like a 747 guzzles fuel on take off.” May my head be full of grace and may it sling some on others as it spins.